George p



' (GP. FLOYD.

Track Clearer.

-I l Patented May A5, 1868.

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Laws', Patent No. 77,602, me May 5,1868.'

' IMPROVED Riunioni)-Tnlic1:CLEANER.4

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Be it known that I, GEORGE P. FLOYD, of Quincy, in the count-y of ANorfolktand .State oi` Massachusetts,.

have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Cleaning Railroad-Tracks-by steam, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, refereneefbeing. had to'the accompanying drawings, melting a part of this specification-,in whichf y Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a locomotive, showing. the application ofmy invention.

Figure 2 is n sentionalvview of nozzle 'through which the steam is ejected uponthe track,-end Figure 3 isanend view of the same.

The nature'y of my invention consists in a mode of throwing a-jet of'steam upon` the rails of arailroadlta-k,

by means of a nozzle of peculiar construction attached to a pipe, and arranged directly in front of the wheelsy of ailocomotive or car, Afor the purpose of removing from the rails any snow, ice, oil, grease, orl other similar substance calculated to interfere .with the gripe oi' the wheels on the surface ofthe rails. 'l

It is well vknown that snow and ice, oil, grease, and substances of asimilar character, when placed upon the rails of -a railroad-track'by'any agency, causethe rails tobecome slippery, so that ythe wheels of' the locovmotive will lose their gripe and revolve without advancing.

In some sections of the country,'a.t.certain seasons of the yong-grasshoppers gather upon the. rails in such numbers that the wheels of a locomotive or ear passing over them become suiiciently wet and oileditodestroy the friction between the wheels and the rails, and thus-impede'the progress of 'thetrorn v p By my.`invention, it is `believed that vthese obctaoles are'entiely overeome,land the rails .are at once cleared of all obstructions arising from the above-named causes. Referring to the drawings, .A represents mlcleoniotive, which may be of any ordinary construction. D represcnts a pipe leading from the'dome B, or from any other point where steam from the boiler may b'eoonvem,

iently introduced into 'the same, to-a point in front of the wheels of the locomotiveLas shown in iig. 1.

l To the outer ends, F, of the pipes are attached nozzles, K, of the forni shown in figs. 2 and 3..' 'The' nozzles consist of a mouth-piece, a, and shank, b, which latter is made to screw upon the end of the pipe D, so

that itcan be removed at'lpleasure.

The mouthLpieee is made with a long and narrow opening, as shown in fig. 3, so 'as to enable thestcarn'tc; be thrown on either side oi the rail, as well as on the top of the saziie, fon-'t-he'purposetofremoving any snow l and ice that might interfere with the ange of thc wheel of the locomotive or car.

When it is desired to eject the steam upon the top ot' the rails only, the outer end of the nozzlemay be turned at. right angles to its 'first position, thus exerting the full force 'of' the steam upon the top surface of the rails. The outer' en d 'of the nozzle may, however, bc so formed as4 to throw any formor size of jet upon therails, as may be found desirable.

At the point where vthe pipes D receive the steam, or at any other suitable point, is arranged a. valve, E,

to which is attached ered, J, extending 'to a point within convenient .reach of the engine-driver.

It is obvious that the exhaust steanrof the locomotive may be-used, instead of steam from` the boiler, but os it is necessary that asti-ong jet of steam should be generally used, itl is preferable to conduct it from the boiler. n i v brought into use.

My invention is equally 'applicable toclenring thc 'rails .of' horse or city-railroads, where ai boiler can be The pipes D, which conduct thc steam to the nozzles K, may be possedinto the smoke-stack and coiled, so

that thc steam may be super-heated, if desirable. v-

I do not claim the employment of steam for clenni-nir' .rails of' railroad-trucks, but, having thus described my invention, l

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by- Letters Patent; is-

'lhe nozzles K, attached to the pipes D, when constructed and operating substantially as and forthe purpose set forth,

In testimony whereof, l have signed' my name to this specification in the'p'resence of' two subscribing witnesses.-

j GEO. P., FLOYD'.- l Witnesses: v

Waal". Snsrrsn, EDM. F.,Bno wN, 

